Vote for a Local Hero

CHEF and co-founder of Feed Me Bellarine Anthony Woodbury is one of six Geelong region finalists in this year’s Westfield Local Heroes program.
The awards celebrate those who have all made a significant difference in their community.
Anthony, and co-founder Lana, started Feed Me Bellarine two years ago to provide meals to families doing it tough, using his skills to create gourmet offerings from food that could have gone to waste.
The inspirational not-for-profit, community-based charity feeds about 700 families a week and operates a fresh produce supermarket and cafe where excess produce and donated food is available, and customers pay what they can afford.
The Local Heroes finalist list also includes Andy Brittain, Barb Speldewinde, Bronwyn Haskell, Claire Faulmann and Jennifer Chiu.
Andy has helped many at-risk high school students turn their lives around through an intensive one-year personal and physical development program, provided by Geelong Youth Engagement, that he developed as a police officer.
Barb has volunteered with the Fight Cancer Foundation for 20 years, as her personal thank you for the life-saving treatment her son-in-law received for leukaemia and she also manages the foundation’s Geelong Recycle Shop. Bronwyn, whose partner passed away from brain cancer, has helped more than 235 families deal with devastating brain cancer diagnosis as a Peace of Mind Foundation volunteer.
Claire became CEO of OneCare just as the COVID-19 pandemic hit and while other community services were temporarily closing their doors, her non-profit was ramping up support and providing 500 meals a week, 1.5 tons of groceries to families and an online counselling program.
Jennifer is a volunteer branch leader for the charity Eat Up and helps make thousands of healthy sandwiches for marginalised children who would otherwise go hungry at school.
Westfield Geelong Centre manager Lauren Frew said the Local Heroes Program had been an instrument for change and support for deserving organisations since its inception four years ago.
Every year, each Westfield centre awards three $10,000 individual grants to the affiliated organisations of recipients whose work makes a positive impact on their local community or environment.
Lauren called on local residents to vote for their local hero and help determine the Geelong region’s three Westfield Local Heroes grant recipients for 2021, announced on October 12. The voting period for Westfield Local Heroes opened on August 10 and closes on Monday, August 30.
Visit westfield.com.au/local-heroes for more information and to cast your vote.